pastoral

pastoral, relating to shepherds or rural life

adjective pahs-toh-RAHL Rare

Origin: From Latin pastoralis, from pastor (shepherd).

Also means

relating to a pastor or clergy

Usage Note

Pastoral has two main registers: a literary/artistic one (idyllic rural landscapes, as in a sinfonía pastoral) and a religious one, where it means relating to the care of a congregation — carta pastoral is a bishop's letter to the faithful. As a noun, la pastoral can refer to a pastoral piece of music or a bishop's letter.

Examples

"La sinfonía pastoral de Beethoven evoca el campo."

Natural Translation

Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony evokes the countryside.

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